THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REGRESSION THERAPY

Journal Archives

Ronald van der Maesen, of the Netherlands, is a newcomer to the Journal’s pages. Here he presents the results of his research on using past-life therapy for people suffering from Tourette’s Syndrome. Since Tourette’s has been thought to be a lifelong condition that usually has no cure, the results of van der Maesen’s study are exciting, both for past-life therapists and for the larger worlds of medicine and other psychotherapies.

Introduction

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is a condition in which the sufferer experiences sudden involuntary and uncontrollable motor and/or vocal tics. It usually begins in childhood and is considered to be a lifelong affliction. It is one of the most socially disabling conditions known, and cures are few and far between. The present study was designed to examine whether or not past-life therapy would help sufferers of GTS.

GTS was identified as a separate syndrome in 1885 by Georges Gilles de la Tourette, a neurologist and student of the French neurologist Charcot. Charcot was so impressed by de la Tourette’s description of the condition that he named the syndrome after him.

The primary symptoms of GTS are the involuntary tics that sufferers make. These are described below. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is also often associated with GTS. The present study focused upon the reduction of the clients’ motor and vocal tics rather than on the reduction of symptoms of OCD, but some clients found those symptoms also reduced. Another benefit that some clients spontaneously mentioned was that their sense of self-esteem and self-worth had risen considerably as their tics decreased, and for some that was the most important overall benefit from the study.